


TicTac

by Amythe3lder



Series: Irregular Pieces [13]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: At least he tries, Birthday Presents, Gen, I Blame Tumblr, M/M, Nice Sherlock, if you blink you'll miss the Johnlock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-26
Updated: 2014-07-26
Packaged: 2018-02-10 11:17:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2023122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amythe3lder/pseuds/Amythe3lder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock buys a birthday present for Lestrade without clearing it with John first. Because my Tumblr did a thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	TicTac

**Author's Note:**

> This entire thing would never have happened, except I saw this [post](http://annicron.tumblr.com/post/92002074735/look-at-this-thing-i-got-at-the-airport-when)  
> The picture inspired a plot bunny and made me write a story.

"Gerry! Happy birthday!" Sherlock bounded through the halls of NSY and proudly presented the present to the detective inspector. The older man glanced down at the riotous colors on the wrapping paper.

"Greg.  _Gregory_. My name. Is Greg."

The package wobbled for a moment on the air while Sherlock tried to gesture his complete disinterest in such trivial matters with both hands still clutching the proffered gift. "As you like, Lestrade. Ignore the tag, then. I got you a thing! There's a disclaimer, though, which I will provide after you open it."  ~~Galen~~  Greg continued to stare, first at the detective, and then at the neatly wrapped box. "Which I do hope will be soon," Sherlock prodded. He had let John teach him to giftwrap last Christmas, as the former-army doctor was rather good at it. John had tried to convince Sherlock to apply the same hospital corners that he had learned for covering presents to the task of making their bed, to no avail.

 ~~George~~  Greg accepted the parcel. He held it to his ear and shook it a bit. " _Clickety **rattle** clatter_," it said. He frowned. 

Sherlock had reached the limit of his patience. The situation was dire. Clearly the man was trying to smother him under the pillow of his own anticipation. "Mercy! Can't you please just-"

"All right, all right," Lestrade soothed as he found a seam and finally began unpeeling the paper. What emerged was not the strangest gift he had received, but it ranked pretty high. "Uh. Huh."

Sherlock delivered the disclaimer like he had learned it by rote (which he had, John had worked it out with him while they dropped their luggage home and wrapped the package), with the same tone and speed his deductions usually took. "This is not a commentary on your personal hygiene. John told me it was your birthday as we were leaving Germany and we had begun our ascent before I showed him what I'd picked out and by then I was already committed to the idea that this was a fine gift, but I have since been corrected. Incidentally, I believed they were snacks. I am no longer permitted to purchase items for our mutual friends without John's leave. Maybe you could keep paper clips in the little boxes once you've emptied them?" The detective smiled helpfully.

"It's..."

"An enormous tic-tac box filled with smaller tic-tac boxes filled with tic-tacs. Yes." Sherlock tried to smile again, but the corners of his mouth felt like they were caught on something. Oh dear. Was this what people went through when they gave presents? It was all too much. He really didn't think he was up to this.  _I may never be right again_ , he thought. He caught sight of John beside him, squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head slightly. Was that despair or amusement?

"Thank you? Yeah! Thanks, Sherlock, this is really, uh, well, thoughtful of you! It's just... are you going to mind if I share some of these?"  ~~Garland~~  Greg found his feet and barreled ahead. "I don't want them to get stale before they get put to use."

Relieved, Sherlock replied seriously, "They are yours to allocate where you think they'll do the most good. Many happy returns."


End file.
